And now, eat that jack-o'-lantern — every last bit of it

Wednesday

Sep 28, 2011 at 12:01 AM

Americans buy more than 1 billion pounds of pumpkins at Halloween, and the majority of those end up in the trash, says Jeff Yeager, author of "The Cheapskate Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of Americans Living Happily Below Their Means," (Broadway Books, $12.99 ) and repurposing expert.

Amy Leap

Americans buy more than 1 billion pounds of pumpkins at Halloween, and the majority of those end up in the trash, says Jeff Yeager, author of "The Cheapskate Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of Americans Living Happily Below Their Means," (Broadway Books, $12.99 ) and repurposing expert.

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, pumpkins are packed with beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant that fights cancer.

"I like them because they taste good, and they're cheap," Yeager said.

If you're buying a pumpkin specifically for eating, the smaller ones are usually the best. If you're going to use it as a jack-o'-lantern as well, you can eat or freeze some of the pumpkin when you carve it, and then pickle the remaining rind when Halloween is over, provided that it's still in good shape.

Remove the seeds and rinse them in water to get rid of the stringy inner membrane. Let them dry on a paper towel. Flavor with coarse salt or other spices — Cajun seasonings, ginger powder, pumpkin pie spice, garlic salt, curry powder, chili powder, cinnamon, vinegar and salt. Bake the seeds on a lightly oiled cookie sheet (in a single layer) in a 250-degree oven for about an hour, stirring every 20 minutes; or cook them in a spray-oiled skillet over medium heat on the stove top, stirring and shaking constantly for about five minutes. Store in airtight containers.

Using a large spoon or other sharp-edged instrument, scrape and scoop the pulp from inside the pumpkin, working down about an inch or so to the whitish-colored layer beneath the skin. This will leave you with the outer shell to carve as a jack-o'-lantern. If you're not going to use your pumpkin as a lantern, then simply slice it like a melon and use a knife to peel away the outer skin and white layer. Steam pulp over a pot of boiling water for about 30 minutes. Run pulp through a food processor to puree or mash it by hand. Add a dash of lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Freeze in plastic bags or containers to use later.

By: Jeff Yeager

Yield: 6 servings

1 pound sausage

1 cup chopped onion

2 cups cubed, raw pumpkin pulp

1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup

¼ cup whole milk

2 cups Bisquick mix

¾ cup water

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cut out nose, mouth, eyes from carved pumpkin

Non-stick cooking spray

Fry sausage and onion on the stove top until brown. Add cubed, raw pumpkin pulp. Cook the pulp for about five minutes, until the pumpkin starts to soften. Stir in soup and milk and remove from the heat. Grease an oval or round casserole baking dish (about the size of a face). In the empty dish, mix Bisquick mix with water. Spread the dough evenly on the bottom of the dish. Pour the meat mixture on top of the dough and then sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top of the casserole. Spray the "face parts" lightly with cooking spray and arrange on top of the casserole. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, until the face parts are lightly browned and dough has cooked through.